Needle-holder.



E. H. STEEDMAN.

NEEDLE HOLDER.

APPLICATION man FEB. e. 1915.

1,155,378. Patented Oct. 5,1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH conwAsnma'row, n. c.

ED WIEN' seminars, or" sTf Louis, MissoURI.

NEEDLE- OLDER. 1

l *x'aimi i To all "who mitt may concern: Be, it known that I, EDWIN a citizen of the United States. residing at St. Louis; ll Iissouri, have invented a certain new; and useful Improvement in Needle rial #776,659. b p

One object of my present'invention is to provide a needle holder of the general type described in' said. application, in. which the needle clamping jaws'are so constructed that it is impossible for the needle to jump out of position or become released fromthe aWs accidentally during the operation of forcing the needle through hard or tough material that oiliers great 'theneedleJ I Another object is "to provide. a :needle holder that has all of the good features and characteristics of the needle holder described in said joint applicatiombm which comprises fewer partsand also parts which mlglily.

are of suchdesign that the instrumentcan be taken apart easily sterilized thor- Other objects and my invention will be hereinafter pointed out: #4..

lligure 1 or the drawings is ,a top-plan view of a surgicalneedleholder constructed in accordance ,with my invention. Figw? is H a side elevational view of same; Fig. dis, a

rear end view "showing the parts of the inl SlJIlUl'lBDh in their normal position, namely,

grippingone end 'of the needleand protect ing the opposite end of the hneedle Fig.1 4

i 1150a rear end view showing one of the needle-operating members movable toward.

the other needle-operating =-member which grips the needle soas to e'xpose or uncover v the point of the needle. Figl 5fisavertical,

longitudinal sectional taken through Specification of iitters Patent.

H. STEEDMAN,

resistance to the passage of V desirable of cross-sectional view taken on the line 6 6v Patented Oct. 5, 1915. Application filedlfebruary 6.1515. .fierialNo. 6,558. a v

of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 7-7of Fig.2. Fig. 8 is a top plan View of portions of the. needle-operating'members partly brokenfaway on the line 8- 8 of Fig. 6,, so. as to more clearly illustrate the; construction of the needleclamping jaws'on said members. F ig. '9 is a detailsectional view taken on the line 9+9 of Fig.2; and Fig. 10 is a detail View illustrating the coniicctionbetween the movable element of one of the needle-operating members and the spring that moves'said element upwardly so as to'release the needle.

In general design the needle holder that forms the subjectanatter of, my present ap plication is practically the'same as the needle holder described in said Saunders and Steedman application, and consists of needle-operating. inembers, that normally protectboth end,.por.tions .of. the needle and which areadapted to bemoved bodily to- ,ward and away from each other out of axial alinement with the .needle, so. as-to enable the needlev to, beinserted; in the 'material I being sewed-Mand thereafter drawn ,.COII1 pletely through said material, said needleoperating members being so constructed that theactflof gripping oneend of the. needle automaticallyrreleases the opposite endiof the needle. which had previously been grippedbyrthe instrument. k

Referring to the dra-wingspwhich illus- .-t1 ate thepreferred'forni of my invention; A

and JB designate two cooperating needle- I operating members of slmllar construction thatarearranged-parallel to each other. as

shown in Fig. 1. Said membersaremounted in such a manner thatthey can be moved of axiali alinenientwith theneedle during the-operation of sewing with the instrument,

sible .t'oiy the point: .or the eye of the needle to}:accidentallvistick into thepatient or into the il'iandli of '.,the surgeon using the instru- *bodily toward and awayfrom each other out movable part the needle-operating member which said Y parts form ismoved bodily toward and,

away from the other needle-operating member of the instrument. The'stationary part or body portion 1 of each needle-operating member is provided at its front end with a needle-clamping jaw 3 and the'cooperating 2 is also provided at its front end with a needle-clamping aw 1, said jaws having cooperating faces which are beveled in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 8, so I V "being provided with recesses or cut-out poras to conform approximately to the crosssectional shape of the needle, which is of substantially triangular shape in cross section, and thus cause the needle. to be forced into engagement with bearing surfaces 2 and 2 on the movable part 2 of the needleoperating member when said jaws close.

The movable part 2 bears against one side of the stationary part 1, and said parts are connected together in such a manner that the part 2 can move longitudinally with relation to the part 1, so as'to open and close the cooperating needle-clamping jaws 3 and 4 on said parts, the movable part 2 of the instrument herein illustrated being provided with a laterally projecting lug 5 that fits in an open-ended slot 6 in the stationary part 1, as

shown in Fig. 2, so as to guide the part2 V longitudinally with relation to the stationary part 1. A head 7 on the lug'5 that laps over the outer erally with relation to each other. The movable part 2 of the'needle-operating member A is'also provided with a shoulder or abutment P, as shown inFig. 6, so as to position 4 the needle axially and preventit from creeping longitudinally in either direction, the.

shoulder 4 of the needle-operating member "A forming an abutment, against which theeye end of the needle is forced when the neefact that the needle is substantially triangular shaped in cross section, it'would be possible for the needle to force the jaws 3 and 4 apart, in case the needle moved outwardly or away from the bearingsurfaces 2 and 2 on the member 2 during the operation of fore ing the point of the needle through tough' or hard material. In order to guard against 7 this and eliminate the possibility ofthe nee- 4 dle jumpingout of positionor becoming released accidentally from theclamping jaws 3, and 4 when the point of the needle is subjected to pressure in a direction tending to face of the stationary part 1 E prevents the parts 1 and2 from moving latcause the eye end of the needle to fulcrum on the member 2, I have provided one or the other of the jaws 3 or 1 with a portion that laps over the outer convexed side of the needle, so as to prevent it from moving away from the bearing surfaces 2 and 2 on the member 2 when the opposite end or free end of the needle is subjected to pressure or to a strain of the character mentioned. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, as herein illustrated, the stationary jaw 3 of the needle-operating member A'is provided with a portion 103 that laps over the outer convexed side ofthe needle, as shownin Fig. 8, and thus prevents the inner curved side of -the needle from moving outof engagement with the bearing surfaces 2 and 2 on the 'i part 2 when the jaws 3 and 4: of the needleoperating member A are closed, the jaw 41:

tions so as to receive the forwardly-projecting portion 103 on the jaw 3 that laps over I V the needle.

If desired the aw 3 of the needle-operating member B can be provided with a similar portion 103, so as to eliminate the possibility of the point portion of the needle becoming released accidentally, in case the needleis subjected to an excessive strain through the material, but it is, of course,

not so essential to form the needle-operating member B in this manner, as the'time when strains of this character is when the point of or hard material. The laterally-projecting lug 5 on the part2 "that extends into the open-ended slot 6 in the part 1 is so positioned that it will strike against one side of the needle and move it longitudinally of the part 1 out from under the overhanging portion 103 on-the jaw 3 during theoperation of opening the jaws 3 and 4:,so as to release the needle. However, any other suitable means could be employed for forcing the needle out of the jaw 3, and therefore, I do not wish it to be understood that my invention" is limited to the precise means herein illustrated for accomplishing this result.

The movable part 2 of each needle-operating member is provided with a handle'2 -10O the needle is most likely to be subjected to V V piece '9 "thatis embraced by a pair 'of ears 8 on the handle portion of the stationary part 1. Instead of connecting the handle portions of the parts 1 and 2 together by means of a toggle link and employing a coiled expansion spring for raising the handle portion of the movable part. 2, as in the needle holder described in said Saunders and Steedman application, I have conend with a crosss neeted the handle portions of. the parts 1 and "2"of the needle holder herein "shown in a novel mannerthat simplifies the construction of theinstrumentand enables it tobe taken a art easily 'andsterilized thoroughly. As slioWnin Fig. 5 ,-the 'depen'dingtail piece 9 on the handle2 'is provided with an inclinedslot'ldwhich has an enlarged portion 1O itsi pper end. The ears 8 wl1ich en'ibrace said tail piecesupport a pin 11 that passes traiisyersely through the inclined slot 10 in said tail piecefWhen the handle2 is depressed this co'eperating inclined slot 10 and pin 11 cause\the part2 to'movet-o the left, *leoking at Fig.2,ftl1erebycausing the jaw 4 reset/ ray nanithe needle against the jawBbnthe stationary part1. VVhen said'handle Q is nioyed upwardly said cotiperating'inelined slot and pin will'cause the part 2 l to more in the oppdsiteidirection and thus release the needle, the tpwn-d movement of the handle 2 being effected by a Hat leaf sp ing 3"whose upperend is connected to the handle '2 and whose "lower end bears on 'thebhttonroi the guide-way orslot formed by the ears 8 that embrace the depending t ail"piece"9 on theha'nd'le. Fheispring'13 can either be permanently conn t'a toth 1 1 1 2 idfl fih bh (561ieated to atan being pre ra le to "deathably eon ectfthe spring an handle'to'getlier so as to en'able the instrument to jbe "sterilized thordughlyf Asshown in Fig -5 and 10, thespring 13 islpi'oyided adjacent its upper 1 13 and the ha dle? i sidewith a pinha'vsteam-en s lml l fl'l of the the slot I3 in thespr'ing' beso propmtionedthat the heiidf13 on said head will pass through saiii'e' when the spring'13 is arranged at rightangles to the After *the spring 131m fbeen is proi' ide'd on its ing a head handle 2 H slipped over the head lg fejn sna pm and turned into a'pbsition longitudinally of the handle will be im'possiblefftir the spring to 156 9 Q id 'Iifial Y d sco nec d f the but when it isf'de'sired" to ldisconnect said parts this canbe efle'cted easily by im ly turning the 'sprinlg lii intosuch a position thatthe cross slot13 f theieinextends longitudinally of the head 13" of the pin on the underside ofthe handleQ The 'pl irpose' of 'proyiding the member 2 with a handle 2? that has more or less 'reslhency is to insure the needle being firmly clamped M when thejaws 3 andefare closedand also hold the pin 11 in operative position and facilitate the remoyal of same,,the resiliency of the handle? also" tending tov hold said handle finits depressed position. 'lhe act of depressing the handIeQS causes said handle to befstraightened out and placed under tensionflas shown in Fig.1 2, so that by the time the pin 11,; enters the enlarged portion 10 I of the slot 10 in the/ tail piece Qthe jaw 4: on the part 2 will be subjected to pres-, sure in a direction tending to cause t-he needle to be securely clamped against the stationary jawifiythe enlarged portion 10. of

said slot cotiperating with the pin 11 to form practically a frictional lock that tends to holdthe handle 2 in its depressed position. Thepin 11 *is-mounted loosely in the ears 8 and is provided intermediate "its ends with a reduced-portion'112 asshown in Fig. "9,

which is of the same diameteras the width of the slot 10 in the 'tailpiece 9." {Consequently, it is impossible for the pin 11 to move laterally out of the ears 8 when the handle 2' is in its raised position, and when the handle is in its depressed positlon with the pin 11 positioned in the enlarged portion 10 of the slot 10 The resiliency inthe han'dlecauses one wall of the enlarged portion of said slot to bear against one-side of the reduced portion of the pin -11, thus to exert sufficient downwardpressure onthe handle 2 when said handle is depressed to cause the enlarged portion 10 of the slot in" the tail piece 9 to register exactly with theenlarged end portions of the pin 11, thus permitting said pin to'be withdrawn. By forming the-instrument in this manner I reduce the number of parts of the instrument and enable it to be taken apart easily and sterilized thoroughly.

The handles 14 on the stationary parts of the needle-operating members A and-B are provided with cooperating lugs 23 and through which a-shaft 25 passes so as to pirotally connect the members A and B together, and thus permit the member B to be "inoved toward and away from the member with a gruird 29 that lies under the handles a 1 of the members A and B; and means of the same constructlon' that described in said appllcatlon of Saunders and Steedman is enmloyed for automatically locking: said guard to the members A. and B alternately during the opeartion of using the instrument'so as to enable the user to more accurately control the lateral movements oi? the 1 members A B. On the rear end of the shaft 25-is'atripping 'memberBQ thatlies underneath forwardly-projecting extensions 33 on the depending tail pieces 9 of the handles 2, saidextensions cooperating with the tripping member 32'to raise the handles 2 of the instrument so as to ca se the needle-clamping jaws to open in the manner more clearly described in said Saunders and Steedmanapplication. 7

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim,and deslre to secure by Letters Patent, is:

. 1. A needle holder provided with cooperating needle-clamping members, one of which can be moved relatively to-the other, jaws on said members for gripping a needle, one of said jaws having a portion that hangs over, the other jaw when the jaws are closed,

and means for moving the needle from under the overhanging portion of said jaw when the aws open.

7 A needle holder provided with a needleclampmg means composed of two members, one of whlch 1s adapted to be moved longi- .tudinally of the other to clamp and release the needle, cooperating'jaws on said members for clampmg'the needle, one of said .vjaws having an overhanging portion that laps over the other jaw when the jaws are closed and thus prevents the needle from moving laterally out of said jaws, and

means for moving the needle away from the overhanging portion of said jaw when the jaws open.

3. A needle holder provided with a needleclamping meanscomposed of two members, one of which is adapted to be moved longitudinally of the other toclamp and release the needle, cooperating jaws on said members for clamping the needle, one of said jaws having an overhanging portion that laps over the other jaw when the aws are closed and thus prevents the needle from moving laterally out of sa1d jaws, and means for moving the needle away from the overhanging portion of said jaw when the jaws open, said means also serving to members together and guide one member on the other. V i. A needle holder having a needle-operating member composed of stationary part and a movable part provided with cooperating needle-gripping portions, and ,a

' device on one of said parts that projects into an inclined slot on the'other part which is of such dimensions that theaction of the side walls thereof on said pin w1ll cause sa d movable part to move longitudinally of the I I stationary part when one end of said mov able part is raised or lowered.

A needle holder having a needle-operating member composed of a stationary part and a longitudinally movable part provided with cooperating needle-gripping porportions to hold said tions, saidmovable part having a resilient handle, and automatic means for causing ysaid, handleto be held looked under tension when said cooperating needle-gripping portions are in engagement with the needle.

6. A needle holder comprising two elements, one of which can move with relation to the other, cooperating V needle-gripping means-on said elements, a resilient handle 1 on one of said elements, and means thatcooperates with sa d handle. to hold it under tension when the handle is depressed and thus cause said cooperating needle-gripping securely clamp the needle.

7. A needle holder provided with two cooperating elements having needle-gripping portions, a resilient handle on one of said elements, and a slot and pin connection between sald elements that causes one to move relatively to the other when said handle is depressed. p 8. A needle holder having two members, one of which can move longitudinally of the I other, cooperating needle-gripping means on said members, a resilient handle on'one of said members, and a slot and pm connection between said members that eflects longitudinal movement of the member provided with a handle and also holds said handle under tension when said handle is depressed.

with relation to the other.

10. A needle holder provided with two c0-= operating members, one of which can move longitudinally of the other, a needle-gripping means on said members, a'bifurcated portion on one member that embraces a guide onthe other member, and a, removable pin loosely mounted in said bifurcated porti on and projecting through an inclined slot in said guide, said pin beingprovided intermediate its ends with a reduced section of less diameter than the portions of said pin which fit in said bifurcated portion, the

' diameter of said reduced section corres 0nding to the width of the main portion 0 said slot. V

11. A needleholder having a needle-operating member composed of a stationary part and a movable part provided with cooperating needle-gripping portions, a resilient handle on said movable part provided with a depending guide, a bifurcated portion on said stationary part that embraces said guide,'a pin insaid bifurcated portion that projects transversely through an inclined ating member composed of a stationary part" and a movable part providedwith cooperating needle-gripping portions-ya resilient handle on said movable part provided with a depending guide, a bifurcatedportion on said stationary part that embraces said guide, a pin in said bifurcated portion thatprojects transversely through an inclined slot in said guide, said slot being provided at one end with an enlarged portion, and a leaf spring detachably connected to said movable part andhaving its free end hearing against said stationary part.

13. A needle holder having a needle-operating member composed of a stationary part and a cooperating longitudinally movable part, coiiperating needle-gripping jaws on said parts, one of which jaws having an overhanging portion that laps over the other jaw and thus prevents the needle from being forced laterally out of position between the jaws, a resilient handle on said movable part which exerts'pressure on said movable jaw when a needle is gripped by said jaws, and a device on one of said parts that projects into an inclined slot on the other part whose edge bears against said device and causes the movable part to move longitudinally of the stationary part when one end of said movable part is raised or lowered.

14L. A needle-holder provided with cooperating needle-clamping jaws, one of which has a plurality of projecting portions that lap over the dividing line between the jaws for the purpose described.

15. A needle holder having two cooperating members provided with needle-gripping portions, a resilient handle on one of said members provided with a guide that is arranged between a pair of ears on the other member, a pin loosely mounted in said ears and projecting through an elongated slot in said guide which is enlarged at one point, and shoulders on said pin which normally bear upon opposite sides of said guide, said handle being adapted to be flexed so as to bring the enlarged portion of said slot into such a position that the shoulders on said pin will not contact with said guide, thereby enabling the pin to be withdrawn from said ears.

16. A needle holder provided with two needle-operating members arranged in sliding engagement with each other, one of said members being adapted to move longitudinally of the other to clamp and release the needle, a jaw on one of said members that cooperates with a jaw on the other member, said jaws having oppositely-inclined faces I which the inner side of the when the jaws close.

'that bear against theopposite'sides or hei; needle and one of'said membershavinga portion against which the "inner side of the a device on one jaw that laps over the divid-r needle is forced when said jawsclo'se, and

ing line between the jaws when the aws are completely closed, said device having a'sur face that is presented toward the outer side of the needle and which is parallel to the portion on one of said members against 17. A needle holder, comprising a needleoperating member provided with a rigid jaw that projects laterally from one side of same, a bearing surface on the side of said member located adjacent said jaw that acts as a bearing surface for the inner side of the needle, a slidable jaw on said member that moves longitudinally of said member toward and away from said rigid jaw, said jaws being provided with oppositely inclined faces that bear upon the opposite sides of the needle and force the needle into engagement with the bearing surface on said needle-operating member, and a portion on one of said jaws that laps over the dividing needle is forced line between the jaws when they are closed and which is provided with a surface that lies at approximately right angles to the inclined surface on said jaw that bears against the side of the needle.

18. A holder for a curved needle of tri angular shape in cross section, composed of two needle-operating members arranged in sliding engagement with each other, one of said members being longer than the other and provided at its outer end with a rigid jaw that projects laterally from the side of said member, said jaw having an inclined surface that bears against one side of the needle, a flat bearing surface on said member against which the fiat inner side of the needle bears, a jaw on the outer end of the other needle-operating member provided withan inclined surface that bears against the other side face of the needle, and a portion on one jaw that laps over the dividing line between said jaws and fits in a recess in the other jaw when the jaws are closed.

19. A holder for a curved needle of noncircular shape in cross section, composed of two members arranged so that one can slide longitudinally of the other, a surface on one member against which the inner side of the needle bears, cooperating jaws on said members having inclined needle-engaging faces that force the needle tightly against the sur' face on one of said members against which the inner side of the needle bears, and a device on one jaw that laps over the dividing line between the jaws and fits in a recess in the other jaw when the jaws are closed, one jaw being subjected to resilient pressure when the j aws are holding a needle.

20. A holder for a curved needle, comprising relatively movable needle operating 7 members, and a needle-gripping means on each of said members comprising an abut-i ment for the eye end'of theneedle, a surface against which the inner side of the needle bears, and cooperating clamping jaws that bear upon the opposite sides of the needle,

one of said jawshaving a portion that laps over the other jaw and fits in a recess in same 1 3 when the jawsare closed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses,

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. I

g It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,155,378, granted October 5, g 1915, upon the application of Edwin H. Steedman, of St. Louis, Missouri, for an improvement in Needle-Holders, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 83, strike out the period and insert a comma, and commence the following article The itha small if, thus making a continuous sentence; same page, line 128, for the WOI'(l "opeartion read operation; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of November, A. D 1915.

[SEAL] R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Corrections in Letters Patent No. L] 

